Motion or amendment: Impact of the Universal Credit Five-Week Wait
Motion or amendment by Mr Matthew O'Toole on .
- MLA
- Mr Matthew O'Toole
- Party at the time
- Social Democratic and Labour Party
- Date
- 21 January 2025
- Type
- Motion or amendment
- Business
- Motion · Private Members' Motion
- Heading
- Impact of the Universal Credit Five-Week Wait
- Assembly identifier
- Document 424533
Read the official Assembly record Open Data source
Text
Impact of the Universal Credit Five-Week Wait
That this Assembly expresses regret that over 349,000 people are living in poverty; recognises that social welfare payments play an important role in helping people cope with financial difficulties; outlines its concern that over 71,000 households will be affected by the move to Universal Credit and consequent five-week wait; acknowledges that there is a strong connection between the five-week wait, debt and increased food bank use; expresses alarm on the potential link between the five-week wait and exploitation by illegal money lenders; calls on the Minister for Communities to introduce an upfront grant for families to cover basic living costs during the five-week wait, targeted to vulnerable households as a matter of urgency; and further calls on the Minister to establish a dedicated working group, including those with lived experience and the advice sector, to develop a long term solution to the five-week wait.
151 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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